 Living alone in an apartment, she endures gossipy neighbor Mrs Shui (Lisa Lu) and her pampered cat.She is pragmatic, frugal and self-reliant, but her old-fashionedness and trusting nature make it difficult for her to fit into Shanghai society.After encountering self-proclaimed aesthete Pan Zhichang (Chow Yun-Fat), she falls for Pan and uses her life savings to invest on cemetery spaces on Pan's suggestion.